Sanfilippo Named KU Employee of the Month for September 2024

KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Congratulations to Cara Sanfilippo, instructor, Counseling and Psychological Services, on being named Kutztown University Employee of the Month for September 2024.

Sanfilippo’s nomination from Keith Fox, instructor, Counseling and Psychological Services, reads:

“Cara Sanfilippo brings strong assets to her role as chair of the department, and helped change the culture with Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS) and the KU community. Cara was first appointed as acting chair for the department. With her leadership and current staff, we, as a team, started to address the culture in the department both internally and externally. I feel and believe that our department is truly functioning as a team. That includes a new counselor coming on board this year; I believe that we all have worked hard to make the necessary changes to improve the culture in the department to a positive and highly functional culture internally, as well as within the KU community.

Cara was truly the key component needed to achieve our goal. If leadership is truly a reflection of attitude among staff, CPS as a whole is now a department that will be seen as a positive, helpful and mission-driven department in the KU community. Cara's leadership is what allow us, as a department, to start the changes needed so that we can better help the KU community.

Qualities about Cara:

• Dedicated and hardworking.
• Extremely organized and focused on continuously learning and developing best practices to manage routine activities both efficiently and effectively.
• Positive high energy and a personal touch.
• Brings consistency as department chair.
• Brings true professional attributes as a counselor and genuinely cares about delivering excellent quality work.
• Strives to integrate both an understanding of the big picture strategy and goals for the department as well as great attention to details.
• She will go above and beyond the call of duty in pursuing excellence. For example:
  • Reaching out and foster relationships with other departments.
  • Collaborated with the departmental committee as a team member and developed creative ways to support the vision of KU at student events.
  • Cara reestablished and fostered new relationships with faculty, students and administration (not an easy task because of CPS’ history in the KU community).

We share the same goal: to help the KU community members. Cara was what CPS needed, so we can start to make the necessary changes and regain the truly purpose of CPS.”

Nominations are collected from students, faculty and staff, and the Employee of the Month is selected by the Human Resources Advisory Council. A winner will be selected each month, and out of the 12 monthly winners one will be selected as Employee of the Year. The Employee of the Month will receive a plaque, reserved parking and a $100 monetary gift sponsored by President Hawkinson.

For more information on the award or to nominate someone, please visit the KU human resources website.